Lubricating means



Oct. 30, 1928.

c. E. BONNER LUBRICATING MEANS Filed April 15. 1925 Patented` Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENTY OFFICE. j

CLARENCE E. IBONNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO BONNER-CHARTER CORPORATION, OF DOVER, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LUBRICATING MEANS.

. Application led April 13, 1923. Serial No. 631,754.

This invention relates to a new and improved lubricating` means for internal combustion engines and more specifically to means for the introduction of lubricant .adn jacent the upper portions of the sleeve valve ina motor of the sleeve valve type.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement upon or addition to the lubricatfound desirable under certain abnormal conditions of load and speed to supply additional lubricant at upper portions of the intertting members. The spirals raise the lubricant from a well at the lower portion of the cylinder and consequently the amount of lubricant supplied gradually decreases toward the upper portion of the assembly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means whereby additional lubricant may be supplied selectively at spaced points vertically of the motor.

It is a further object to provide means of this character which may be used in association with other lubricatingl means, such as the opposed spirals of my prior application or which may be used as a primary lubrioat ing means.

It is also an object to provide in connection with such lubricating means, ports eX- tending through the sleeve valve whereby the lubricant is carried into engagement with the inner cylinder member.

Other and further objects will appear as theV description proceeds.

I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings in which the single figure is a fragmentary cross section illustrating my invention applied to a sleeve valve.

The type of motor shown in the drawing is that disclosed in my Patent No. 1,670,298, May 22, 1928. i

In the drawing the cylinder case or outer casting 11 is formed with the water jacket cavity 12 and at its upper end is provided with the circumferential seat 13 adapted to receive the flange 15 upon the cylinder 14. The cylinder is provided with ports 16 adapted to register with similar ports in the outer case 11. The lower end of the cylinder passes through a flange 17 formed upon the case member, making a slight clearance therewith. An accurately machined steel ring 18 fits upon the shoulder 17 and closely engages the cylinder 14, holding it exactly centered and aligned in the case.

A space is formed between the case 11 and the cylinder 14C into which is fitted the cylindrical sleevevalve 19.` This valve has out upon its lower outer surface the gear teeth 20 which are engaged by the worm gear 21 carried on shaft 22. This worm gear 21 is housed in a pocket 23 formed on the outer case 11. The oil feed pipe 24 leads into this pocket and the pocket is in communication throughs out the circumference of the sleeve valve with the space around the lower vportion thereof formed by cutting away the outer case 11 at 30. The oil drain port 25 is formed in the casing 11 and prevents the oil from rising above a predetermined level, the port discharging downwardly into the crank case.

The cylinder 14 is provided with the spirally extending oil distributing groove 26 upon its outer surface. The sleeve valve 19 is provided upon its inner surface with the spirally extending oil distributing groove 27. The lower edge of the sleeve valve is provided with notches 28 adapted to permit passage of the oil through the valve. The upper edge 29 of the sleeve valve is formed to have a minute clearance with the flange I 15 of the cylinder.

It will be noted that the spiral 26 upon the cylinder is of materially greater pitch Y than the spiral 27 upon the sleeve valve, and

further that the two spirals extend in opposite directions.. Also, while the spiral 26 extends substantially the full height of the cylinder, the spiral 27 is formed only upon the lower part of the sleeve valve. An important feature is the fact that the succeeding turns of the spiral 26 are placed at the maximum possible distance from the port 16.

The pipe 31 is connected to a source of lubricant supply and is connected through valves 32, 33 and 3st with the pipes 35, 36 and 37 which extend through the water jacket and open upon the interior surface of the outer cylinder block.

It will be noted that pipe 37 extends 1n Aa plane above the port 16 while thepipe is below that port, both of these pipes being spaced from the port. rThe small ports 38, 39 and 40 extend through the sleeve valve member 19 in the same vertical planes with the pipes 35, 36 and 37, respectively. These openings 38, 39 and a() are periodically carried into registration with their associated pipes by the rotation of the sleeve valve. It will be understood that although single ports have been shown in each plane a plurality of spaced ports may be provided in each plane if desired.

ln the operation of my oiling system, the oil is supplied to the cavity or pocket 23 through the pipe 24, and this oil is prevented from rising above a predetermined level by the drain port 25. This lubricant in the pocket fully lubricates the worin gear 21 and also the gear teeth formed upon the sleeve 19. It further lubricates the point of contact between the lower edge of the sleeve 19 and ring 1,8 upon which it rotates.

The oil passes through the notches 28 in the lower end of the sleeve 19 and thus reaches the engaging surfaces of the sleeve and cylinder. The cylinder remains stationary and the sleeve is rotated in the direction of the spiral 26, that is, in the counter-clockwise direction, looking down from above upon the device as shown in the drawing. The spiral 27 upon the sleeve therefore has a scooping action upon the lubricant througl'i which it passes and tends to cause the lubricant to flow up its spiral. Further, a certain amount of lubricant is transferred to the spiral 26 and due to the fact that the engaging points of the spirals 26 and 27 are constantly rising during the rotation of the sleeve, the lubricant is carried up the spiral 26.v The lubricant reaching the top of the sleeve valve 19 is carried across the top through the minute clearance 28 by means of centrifugal force due to the rotation of the sleeve valve. lt then passes downwardly between the outer surface of the sleeve valve and the casing, due to gravity, and thus returns to the oil pool inthe oil pocket.

The valves 32, 33 and 34 may be selectively operated to 4provide additional lubricantat y such points on the verticalheight of the cylinder as prove to require additional lubrication. This lubrication may be required under ab normal operation conditions or may be provided continuously upon motors operating at very high speed. For example. the pipe 87 located above the cylinder ports. 16 would usually be opened wherethe speed reaches from 3000 to 4000 revolutions per minute. :tnl this case there may be some leakage between the walls and sleeve and a small amount of lubricant will be sucked into the port opening and mixed in with the gas. However, when operating under such high speeds, this additional oil in the cylinder will not be a detriment but rather a benefit since it is customary to mix an amount of oil with the gas at high speeds for additional lubrication of the piston.

lt will be understood that due to the close fit between the cylinder block and sleeve valve, but little of the lubricant will remain between these surfaces. rlhe greater portion will pass through the oil ports in the sleeve valve and will be distributed over the adjacent valve and inner cylinder surface by the spiral 26. It will be noted that the valves 32, 33 and 34rhave been shown in a diagrammatic manner and that the operating handles or means for such valves may be placed at any convenient point, as, for example, on the dash board of a motor vehicle.

lt has been found by experience that it is entirely unnecessary and also undesirable to provide any oil distributing grooves upon the outer surface of the sleeve valve or upon the inner surface of the case. It has further proved undesirable to extend the oil distributing groove on the innerl surface of the sleeve valve above the lower portion thereof, since the oil tends to remain in these grooves due to centrifugal force and thus fails to adequately lubricate the surface of the cylinder. rlhe extension of this groove together with the groove in the cylinder would overlubricate the surfaces and carry too great an,

amount of oil.

The provision of the single spiral groove upon the cylinder 14 with its widely spaced turns has proved particularly effective in the lubrication, and this allows the provision of closely interlitting surfaces extending some distance away from the ports and thus prevents a tendency for leakage between the surfaces at the ports. No grooves are formed on the sleeve adjacent-the ports, which further avoids the excessive oiling adjacent the ports with the consequent danger of carbonization at those points.

The construction shown is extremely simple and avoids all piping or formation of conf duits in the casing adjacent the upper partl of the cylinder, with consequent complication of the casting. It provides a simple, positive and adequate oiling systeml for valves of this character.

l claim:

1. ln an internalcombustion engine a cyl.- inder, a rotary sleeve valve enveloping and closely engaging saidv cylinder, said cylinder and valve being provided with cooperating grooves to cause the distributienet oil over the engaging surface of said cylinder and valve and means providing a plurality of oil feed passageways positioned to deliver oil to said cylinder at regions spaced longitudinally of said cylinder.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a rotary sleeve valve mounted co-aXially with said cylinder and having cooperatino engagement therewith, said cylinder and va ve being formed to distribute oil both longitudinally and circumferentially on the engaging surface between said cylinder and said valve and means providing a plurality of oil feed passageways positioned to deliver oil at regions of said engaging surfaces spaced longitudinally of said cylinder.

3. An internal combustion enginel including a cylinder, a rotary sleeve valve encompassing said cylinder and having sliding engagement therewith, said cylinder being provided with a. gas port and an oil carrying groove adapted to distribute oil when relative movement is had between said cylinder and said valve and means providing oil feed pasvided with a gas port and an oil carrying 'y groove adapted to distribute oil when relative movement is had between said cylinder and said valve, said groove and said port being widely spaced whereby to minimize the escape of oil from said groove to said port and means providing oil feed passageways positioned to deliver lubricant to the cylinder at regions spaced longitudinally of said sleeve and spaced from said port.

Signed at New York, New York, this 5th day of April, 1923.

"CLARENCE E. BONNER. 

